Fume hood are devices designed for work with toxic or hazardous chemicals with the effect of safely capturing the harmful gases, vapors, and fumes generated and exhausting them to the outside air. The fume hood is very effective if installed and used properly and maintained in good working order. Fume hoods are not just fixtures but are installed into the ventilation system of a building and so affect the ventilation of the entire building and the exhaust at the stack.
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Use a chemical fume hood anytime your work involves:
• Chemicals with a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Health rating of 3 or 4
• Toxic volatile materials (chloroform, formaldehyde)
• Flammable chemicals
• Carcinogens or particularly hazardous substances
• A procedure that may create an aerosol of a toxic substance
• Reactive or explosive materials or chemicals that may spatter
• Toxic gases (NH3, CO, F2, Cl2, H2S, NO2, etc.)
• Odorous materials, both hazardous and non-hazardous
